First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
Worship for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 1, 2021

Photo by Zach Long

Getting Centered

It may help to center yourself into worship by lighting a candle, as a symbol of God’s presence with you during the time of worship. You may also want to pay attention to lighting, the position of your body, and the availability of distractions.

Breath Prayer

“You who are / help us be.”
Breath prayers involve breathing in the first phrase, and breathing out the second.
You may wish to simply pray for a moment before starting, or you may wish to pray while listening to the prelude.

Prelude

“Lord of the Dance” by Charles Callahan

Call to Worship

One: Wherever you’ve been on your journey, welcome.
Many: God invites us all in.
One: Wherever you are on your journey, welcome.
Many: God loves us as we are.
One: Wherever you are going on your journey, welcome.
Many: Wherever we go, God is with us.

Hymn #127: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Connecting in Prayer

Shared Prayer

God Who Listens,
You listen to what we say, and what we don’t say,
what we do and what we don’t do,
what we want and what we need,
who we love,
and what we fear.
You know us, and you listen to us.
Being heard, being known, being loved heals us.
Help us listen, like you Holy One.
Help us listen with compassion,
help us listen to understand and to heal.
Amen

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

God We Can Trust,
As the people learned to trust you in the desert,
we too are learning to trust you when
our lives are disrupted and disjointed.
When we struggle, we can remember
you are close at hand.
When we worry, we can rely on you.
Open our hearts to you, to each other,
to all the world,
so that we can be your love,
and you can heal us all.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father (Creator) who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Word and Reflection

Choir Anthem

Lord of the Dance

Scripture Reading – Psalm 14

Children’s Time – Trusting God in the Desert

Passing of the Peace

If you are worshiping with others, please pass the Peace of Christ.
Whether you are alone or with others, please take a moment to find God’s peace within, and then to share it with the world. You may want to reach out to speak peace to another during this week.

Hymn #2126: All Who Hunger

Scripture Reading – Exodus 16: 2-4, 9-15

Sermon – Every. Single. Time.

Responding

Offering

Photo by Larry McArthur
If you wish, you are welcome to use this time to make a donation to the church online, or to put a check in the mail.
The time of offering is not only about our financial gifts to the church, it is about offering our lives to God and the building of the kindom. This is a time for reflection: What is being asked of us? What is being given to us? What are we able to offer? What do we need?

Offertory: “My Lord, What a Morning” by Lois Land

Prayer of Presentation

God who listens and cares,
You have given us so much, and
we seek to respond with our gratitude.
May the gifts that we offer to you and
your kindom be blessed,
to be used with wisdom and compassion.
Amen

Hymn #463: Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak

Benediction

God is trustworthy, God feeds us, God listens and cares. Go, trusting God, and receiving God’s gifts. Amen

Postlude

“Fantasia” by Johann Pachelbel